STORY AND PHOTOS
BY ROB DAVIS
FOR THE OBSERVER

OPELIKA — Just four days after defeating Springwood at home, the Trinity Eagles boys basketball team came up short against the Wildcats in a closely contested 51-47 loss at Springwood.
Trinity’s Reid House led all scorers with 22 points as the Eagles battled back from a 15-point deficit to take the lead early in the final period before succumbing to the dominant rebounding displayed by the home team.
“We’re going through a rough stretch right now shooting the basketball,” Trinity head basketball coach Noah Gardner said. “Last week we got 24 points off of rebounds, but tonight Springwood did a phenomenal job on the glass.”
The Wildcats jumped out to the early lead thanks to the shooting of Kori Key and Clarence Moore, who had 19 and 21 points respectively. Trailing by 15 in the second period, the Eagles methodically chipped away at the lead and cut it to just four points at the half.
The Eagles continued to claw their way back into the game and took the lead when senior Josh Riddle hit a jumper as time expired in the third period. However, the final period would belong to the Wildcats as Key and Moore got the hot hands. House hit a jumper for the Eagles with 6.6 seconds remaining in the game to pull Trinity within two, but Moore nailed a clutch bucket to secure the win for the Wildcats.
“They boxed out and stopped our ability to get up the floor,” Garners said. “That was a great defensive performance by them and a great job on the boards. We got a little bit out of tempo tonight. We need to learn to slow down when things get hectic.”
With three games scheduled this week, the Eagles will have an opportunity to improve on their 3-2 record before the Christmas break.
The Trinity girls team played before the boys game and had a much tougher time on the court. A.C. Jackson scored 21 points, and Tori Patillo added 20 as the Wildcats dismantled the Eagles 66-15.
Emma Miller had five points, and Lilah Middleton added four for Trinity as turnovers plagued the Eagles from the very beginning of the game until the final whistle. Trinity’s girls team is now 0-2 on the season but will have three opportunities this week to get their first win.

Trinity Christian teams gain experience in full week of play

BY MICHELLE KEY AND KATIE MCELVY
FOR THE OBSERVER

OPELIKA — Trinity Christian basketball teams faced a challenging week on the court, competing against Chambers Academy.

Trinity JV Girls
The Trinity Christian JV girls battled Chambers Academy last week but were unable to slow the Lady Rebels’ early momentum. Trinity trailed at the end of the first quarter and continued to fight throughout the contest before falling 23-10.

Trinity JV Boys
The Trinity Christian JV boys also faced Chambers Academy and found themselves trailing at halftime. Despite continued effort in the second half, Trinity was unable to close the gap and dropped a 38-21 decision.

Trinity Varsity Girls
The Trinity Christian varsity girls got off to a slow start against Chambers Academy and trailed at halftime. Defensive pressure remained strong for Trinity in the second half, but they were unable to overcome and fell 37-10.

Trinity Varsity Boys
The Trinity Christian varsity boys opened the week with a hard-fought contest against Chambers Academy winning the game 49-36 .